


ornaments and family

by hearth_goddess



Series: we're a family. we stick together [6]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Christmas Fluff, F/F, F/M, IT'S SO FLUFFY, M/M, brief mention of macavity/original female characters, he feels guilty near the end for a bit, macavity needs a good hug, many OCs - Freeform, the deuteronomy brothers are precious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearth_goddess/pseuds/hearth_goddess
Summary: The Deuteronomy family comes together to celebrate Christmas.
Relationships: Bombalurina (Cats)/Original Female Character(s), Demeter/Munkustrap (Cats), Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)
Series: we're a family. we stick together [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765810
Kudos: 10





	ornaments and family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KineticJellyfish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KineticJellyfish/gifts), [Jemi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemi/gifts), [Hazbin_JellicleQueen33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hazbin_JellicleQueen33/gifts).



> Merry Christmas!  
> This short is dedicated to my incredible friends, KineticJellyfish, Jemi, Hazbin_JellicleQueen33, and queenwithaquill on tumblr, and is a spur of the moment Christmas present to them from myself, because I adore them, and they deserve the world!
> 
> that being said, this does take place outside of the *main* timeline of this AU! This is just something fun, and super fluffy for Christmas!

###### 

Hestia

Hestia adored Christmas. Baking cookies with her papa, decorating the Christmas tree, getting to watch all sorts of movies, she loved everything about it. The first ornament that she ever got for Christmas was one that Serafina picked out a few months before her birth. It was a silver rocking horse ornament, and she had gotten it engraved with “Hestia’s First Christmas” on a banner beneath the horse. Every Christmas, whenever Hestia unpacked that ornament, she took it out of the original wrapping, which Mistoffelees took great care to preserve, hugged it close, and hung it between Hades’ ornament and Jubilee’s ornament, just below Iris’. 

###### 

Jubilee

Jubilee’s first ornament that she picked out for her first Christmas with the Deuteronomy-Jones family was an ornament of Peter Rabbit, which showed the little rabbit standing proudly and holding two carrots. Mistoffelees had remembered the book that Jubilee and Hestia had been reading when the two girls had first met in the foster home, and he had searched for the perfect ornament, and presented it to Jubilee in the week leading up to Christmas when they had put up the Christmas tree. Jubilee had given him and Tugger the brightest smile they had seen on the little girl’s face since they had adopted her, and Tugger had lifted her up to help her put it high on the tree, right next to Hestia’s first Christmas ornament.

###### 

Sekhmet

Sekhmet had two first Christmas ornaments. The first was the one Athena had gotten after she was born; a little pair of ceramic baby booties that Ares and Persephone also had, with her name and birthday written on the bottom of the show. On the side, in gold lettering, read “Sekhmet’s First Christmas”, and she had made sure to pack them extra carefully when she and her siblings had moved out of Macavity’s apartment. During their first Christmas with Tugger, Mistoffelees, and the rest of the Deuteronomy-Jones family, Sekhmet had received another special Christmas ornament; a small pair of ballet slippers. She tried not to smile too widely as Hades pointed out a spot right next to his on the tree, and she hung both her ornaments up.

###### 

Calliope

Calliope’s first Christmas ornament was picked out by Jennyanydots the day that she was born, the woman having been thinking about it since Tugger and Mistoffelees had announced their next daughter’s name. Given her name, Jennyanydots wanted to make sure that the ornament was music-themed in nature, so she decided upon a bell ornament, with Calliope’s name engraved in the side, as well as her birthday and the year of her very first Christmas. While it didn’t make any noise, it was one of Calliope’s favorite ornaments to take out of the box during decorating time, mainly because it meant something specific to her name. 

###### 

Browrey

For their first “unofficial” Christmas together, when they were still in the in-between, complicated stage of their relationship, Bombalurina got Browrey an ornament replica of The Ivory Lantern, complete with tiny little patrons painted in the windows. Browrey had been absolutely speechless when she had opened the gift, which had been a rare, shocking moment for Bombalurina. It had been honestly a bit difficult to get the ornament made. Bombalurina had enlisted the help of Tugger and Macavity for the project, using Tugger to photograph the outside of the Lantern without Browrey getting suspicious, and then sending those photographs to Macavity to get him to sculpt and paint the ornament. Browrey had hung the little mini Ivory Lantern just below the star on their small tree in their apartment, and Bombalurina hid her beaming smile from her not-girlfriend before she could get the broom to whack her shins again. 

* * *

With twelve children living under one roof, when Christmas came around, it was an… adventure, to say the very least for the Deuteronomy-Jones family. 

Having so many hands made decorating extremely easy, thankfully, and it was not uncommon for passing neighbors (the neighbors usually being family or friends because, to be quite honest, the neighborhood was basically just made up of members of the Deuteronomy family, their extended family or in-laws, or their friends at that point) to hear Tugger, Mistoffelees, Hades, or Sekhmet giving orders to the younger members of the Deuteronomy-Jones children as they put up the decorations. 

Also having so many family members meant that decorating surrounding houses was a breeze, with the children of various families laughing as they ran between houses with lights, inflatable decorations, yards of garland, and lawn ornaments. 

It was loud, hectic, and crazy, and they obviously would not have it any other way. 

* * *

When Christmas Day did eventually arrive, the Deuteronomy brothers took turns hosting every year. 

It was Munkustrap’s turn to host Christmas, and it was no surprise to walk down the stairs after finishing getting dressed for the day to find Mistoffelees in his kitchen, already prepping food for the day. 

“Oh no, please, don’t worry about knocking.” The middle Deuteronomy brother said, a good-natured smile on his face as he narrowly dodged a running Fabre and Ziggy, who were both chasing after Jemima. 

Mistoffelees laughed. “You should know by now not to stay in your bedroom past noon on holidays. I’m surprised Tugger didn’t try barging in on you.” He held out a cup of coffee, which Munkustrap took gratefully. 

“He wouldn’t dare, not with Dem next to me.” 

“Didn’t he try that when he and I were first married, and you and Dem were first together?” Mistoffelees asked. 

Munkustrap snorted. “Oh yeah. I thought Dem was going to murder him.” 

“Who was I going to murder?” Demeter asked, walking into the kitchen and pecking Mistoffelees on the cheek. 

The dancer gave her a smile. “My husband.” 

Demeter sighed. “Ah. The jury’s still out on him.” 

“I heard that!” Tugger called from the back porch, where he was watching the children throwing snow at one another, and trying to duck snowballs. 

The doorbell rang, and Munkustrap turned towards the living room, searching for a child still around and not outside covered in snow. 

He smiled, spotting Hestia braiding Persephone’s hair on the couch. “Hestia, will you get the door?” 

Hestia nodded, hopping off of the chair. “Sure, Uncle Straps!” She darted towards the front door, wrenching it open, and beaming. “Auntie Bombs, Auntie Browrey!” 

Bombalurina grinned as the door was opened, her arm wrapped around Browrey’s shoulders. “Merry Christmas, Hettie!” 

“Hey, kid.” Browrey said with a small smile. 

“Merry Christmas!” Hestia said. “Papa, Uncle Straps, and Auntie Dem are in the kitchen. Auntie Tori and Uncle Plato are on their way, Nana Jenny and Grandpa Skimble are coming over in a bit with Aunt Jelly, Uncle Gus, and everybody else!” 

Bombalurina gave Hestia a tight hug as she stepped inside. “Sounds like a party!” 

Browrey laughed as she stomped her feet on the carpet. “Say, Hettie, Bombs and I found this thing lurking on your porch. Should we let it in?” She tugged her arm, pulling another figure into sight. 

Hestia’s entire face lit up, and she dove forward, throwing her arms around her uncle with a squeal. “UNCLE MAC!” 

Macavity laughed, returning Hestia’s hug tightly. “Thank you for saving me, Hestia!” He leaned down to stage-whisper to the redhead. “I thought she was going to turn me into an icicle.” Hestia giggled as Browrey hit Macavity over the head, making the man yelp. “Munkustrap, Browrey hit me!” 

“Munkustrap, your brother’s being an idiot!” Browrey called, rolling her eyes. 

“Bomba, your girlfriend’s being a child!” Munkustrap called, stepping into the foyer with an unimpressed look. “Hettie, did Mac deserve it?” 

“Yeah, he said Auntie Browrey was going to turn him into an icicle.” 

Munkustrap shrugged. “Well, there you go, Mac.” 

“Where’s my brother-in-law?” Macavity asked. “He’s always on my side. I like him better than you people.” 

“In here, Mac!” Mistoffelees called, obviously trying not to laugh. “Trying to keep your younger brother from tracking snow into the kitchen.” 

Munkustrap groaned. “Tugger, I swear to God, if you drip on my carpet, I will find a way to murder you and blame it on reindeer!” 

Bombalurina rolled her eyes. “Boys.” 

* * *

“I remember when your mom bought your first Christmas ornament for you, you know.” 

Sekhmet turned away from the Christmas tree to look at Macavity with a small smile. “Really?” 

Macavity nodded, sitting down on the couch. “Oh yeah. She was so excited when she found out she was pregnant with you that she instantly started researching all the ‘baby’s first Christmas’ ornaments she could find.” Sekhmet’s smile grew. “She favorited a lot, and saved a few for when Ares and Seph came along.” 

“I like mine.” Sekhmet said, leaning against Macavity and looking at the tree. “I like having it here. It’s like she’s still here with us, you know? Like how Hades and everybody has theirs that Aunt Sera picked out for them when she was pregnant with them, me, Ares, and Seph have ours that Mom picked out for us.” Sekhmet looked up at Macavity, wiping at her eyes. “We’ve all got a piece of them that we can bring out. They’re still with us for Christmas.” 

“Exactly.” Macavity said with a fond smile. 

“We even have something more of theirs.” Skimbleshanks said, walking into the living room, followed by the rest of the family. 

Skimbleshanks nodded, looking at Tugger and Mistoffelees, and beckoning all the kids closer to the television. “Your dads and I wanted to put this together, because we know that while Christmas can always be fun and wonderful and magical, there’s always going to be something missing, no matter what.” 

“So Jenny and Skimble helped us, and we were able to come up with a way that maybe would help ease that sense of missing something.” Tugger said, turning the television on. He clicked the remote, and a home video began to play, a video of a younger, and very familiar, woman. 

Ares’ eyes widened almost comically as soon as he saw her, and he let out a breathless laugh. “Mom.” Pouncival took his boyfriend’s hand, rubbing his thumb across his wrist as he gave him a comforting smile. 

_“What’d you get, Thena?”_ Skimbleshanks’ voice came from behind the screen as Athena turned around, showing off a rather ugly Christmas sweater. 

_“I love it, Mum!”_ Athena said, forcing a smile. 

“We had some home movies sitting in the attic, and put them into the computer and made some copies.” Jennyanydots explained, reaching out and holding Sekhmet’s hand, the girl keeping her eyes trained on the screen, and on the laughing form of her mother as Athena twirled in the sweater. “We edited your mother’s parts, and your dads put them all together.” 

Athena reached out, and pulled in a younger Demeter and Bombalurina. _“They’re horrible, Mum, thank you!”_

Demeter let out a small sob, and Bombalurina laughed quietly. “Those really were awful, Mum.” 

Jennyanydots smiled at her daughters. “Oh, I know.” 

“That’s amazing.” Iris said, leaning over to hug Persephone close. 

Mistoffelees looked down, his eyes sparkling. Tugger’s face slowly split into a wide grin as he clicked the remote again, and Hades let out a small, strangled sound as Serafina appeared on the screen, younger, and laughing in a massive snow-covered field, but it was Serafina. 

“That’s…” Hestia’s voice trailed off, and Tumblebrutus reached out, taking her hand as Jubilee wrapped her arms around her sister. 

“Mama didn’t have any home movies though.” Thetis said, her voice shaking as she looked back at her dads. 

Tugger shook his head. “We thought she didn’t. But apparently, she had multiple flash drives stored in a box in the old office that we turned into the Littles’ bedroom. Those had all the home movies on them.” 

“I forgot how pretty her laugh was.” Apollo said, a little smile on his face. 

Calliope watched the video in awe. “They were both so pretty.” 

Macavity smiled sadly, looking at his hands. Athena and Serafina had been the two most beautiful souls he had ever met, and he had truly been lucky to know them. He was even luckier to be able to still know the children he had with them, and be part of their lives in some way. 

And being able to watch them on the screen in front of him, hearing their voices and laughter, watching the beautiful ghosts he knew come to life once more, it was the greatest Christmas gift he could ever ask for.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, while some things may seem OOC for what's happening now in the actual "timeline" of the story, they will be resolved in due time in upcoming shorts!


End file.
